


Born To Make History

by everwitch



Series: In Every Universe [3]
Category: Red White & Royal Blue - Casey McQuiston
Genre: A whole ton of flirting, Alternate Universe - Figure Skaters, Alternate Universe - Sports, And a quad lutz, Conversations about sexualities and queer role models, Figure Skater Henry, Fluff, Grand Prix Final, M/M, Mostly just incessant fluttery feelings, Pair Skater Alex, Someone has been paying attention to Henry's skating for years, Sudden Desperate Crushes, Very brief mention of Bea's history with drugs, funny and sweet, i mean why not, so soft, these boys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:55:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28071321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/everwitch/pseuds/everwitch
Summary: This season, Henry has a new free skate. It's sassy, flirty, and actually genuinelyfun,and somehow, it's taken him all the way to the Grand Prix Final. Still, even though Henry has perfected his lutz since his last competitive season, and gets that all too important second-half multiplier for every quad in his arsenal, he knows he isn't half as good as most of his competition. There's no way he's actually getting on the podium.Except, one persistently curious and curiously attentive pair skater, with a distressingly attractive smile, gorgeous brown eyes andveryinteresting ambitions for the post-competition gala, seems to think otherwise.
Relationships: Alex Claremont-Diaz/Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor
Series: In Every Universe [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2071992
Comments: 30
Kudos: 110





	Born To Make History

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to Nyx for beta reading this, and to the whole RWRB discord server for plenty of encouragement! ♡

“That lutz was perfection.”

Henry, who has only just finished unlacing his skates after practice, looks up.

It’s… A pair skater. One of the pair skaters. The one who skates with that feisty brunette to what must be the most daring music choice of the entire season – Get Low.

The hot one.

Henry swallows, mouth dry.

“Thanks.”

The guy leans against the boards. He’s watching Henry with a look that seems almost oddly focused. As if there’s something important he’s trying to figure out.

“I’m Alex.”

That rings a bell. Alexander. Henry vaguely remembers seeing him back in juniors. He’s pretty sure Alex competed with his sister, back then, they skated to-

Wait. _That_ Alex? Alex-and-June? The Alex who’s got medals from both Worlds, and the actual goddamn Olympics?

Jesus.

“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Henry.”

“Believe me, I know.” Alex grins lazily. It’s distressingly attractive. “I saw you at Rostelecom. Your new free is killer.”

“Oh. Thank you.” Henry’s not entirely sure what else he’s supposed to say to that, but given the fact that Alex is watching him as if he’s waiting for the rest of Henry’s answer, he should probably come up with something. “I’m working with a new choreographer, this season.”

“Did you choose the music?” Alex asks. Henry is starting to find his unwavering curiosity alarming. No one who is as good as Alex has ever been this interested in Henry’s artistic choices. Ever. “Queen’s not really your usual, is it? I remember you’ve done a lot of classical pieces.”

“How would you know that?”

Alex cocks his head to the left.

“You’re a world class skater. These shindigs are generally televised.”

“I mean…” Henry starts, only to trail off. He has no idea how to ask what he really wants to know without sounding like a complete idiot. Has Alex watched him before? Watched him on purpose? “I’m trying something a bit different, this season. Don’t Stop Me Now was a personal choice.”

“It was a damn good one. You make it so fun and flirtatious, it’s no wonder the judges eat it up every time. And you just keep getting better.” Alex grins again. “Bet you’re gonna medal, tomorrow.”

Henry actually smiles – albeit a little hysterically.

“I don’t know about that.”

It’s his first Grand Prix Final, and honestly, his expectations aren’t _that_ grand. Sure, he did fine in the short, but there are so many points at stake in the free and he doesn’t have as many quads as most of the other guys.

“Come on.” It’s a bit funny, how Alex actually sounds affronted on Henry’s behalf. “Hunter’s never gonna score as well as you on program components. And you’ve got all your quads in the second half, that gets you the multiplier for each one. You’ve definitely got a shot.”

“I’m just gonna try for a new personal best.” Henry finally pushes his skates off his feet. It grounds him somewhat, to have something to do with his hands. “I try not to think too much about the… Everything else.”

“Well.” Alex cocks his head the other way. “Hey. Can I ask you for something?”

Henry stares at him.

It’s probably not great, how he suddenly feels like Alex is welcome to ask him for anything. Dear God, this crush isn’t going to be entirely convenient.

“Of course.”

Alex actually pauses for a few seconds. Huh.

“When you do medal,” Alex says, his words coming out in a rush. “Will you skate with me? At the gala?”

Henry sucks in a breath. He really, _really_ wants to. Probably a little too much.

“That’s… Alex, I probably won’t even medal.”

“Sure you will.” Alex actually shrugs. Like it could really be that easy. “I’ve got this show program I bring out sometimes, it’s really soft and graceful and very sweet. In the choreography, another skater joins in part way through. It’s nothing you can’t handle, the steps are way below the technique I know you're capable of. It’s more about the emotion of the piece.”

Suddenly, Alex’s description sounds familiar.

Henry has only seen it on television and not since last season, during his extended break. Or, well. His gap season, really. Henry had almost quit skating entirely, back then. After everything that had happened with Bea, with the pressure and the breakdown and finding those bloody pills, it was difficult to imagine returning to their life of practice seven days a week and constantly jetting across the world, all on his own. Henry had just wanted to stay with her, had wanted to be there for her forever and always. It had taken Bea herself dragging Henry back to their home rink and putting on Queen at full volume for Henry to realize how much Bea still _loved_ the ice, despite everything, as well as how utterly impossible it would be for himself to ever fall out of love with every single thing that came with it – the adrenaline rush, and the roar of the audience, and the irresistible challenge of constantly reinventing himself, of finding new personas to emulate, new emotions to embody.

That same evening, Henry had asked if Bea would choreograph for him.

The show program Alex is pitching him is nothing like the enticing cocktail of flirtatious sass Bea had conjured up for his free skate. Henry remembers Alex's gala performance being all languid and romantic and quite a favourite with the audience.

And out of all the overwhelmingly talented competitors at this year's Grand Prix Final, Alex wants _Henry_ to skate it with him?

“Do you mean Your Song?” Henry has to ask. Maybe it's a different program entirely, maybe that's why… Apparently not - Alex nods in confirmation. Henry's heart flutters helplessly. “Isn’t that, um. Something you've usually skated together with a medalist from women’s singles...?”

Abruptly, Alex looks away.

He doesn’t speak for several moments.

“I came out as bi,” Alex finally says. Oh. That is very, very good to know. “Last year. And, I’ve been thinking… Being a role model for younger queer skaters isn’t something I’ve ever asked for, but you don’t get to choose who is going to look up to you. And I… I guess I’ve grown more conscious of that. You don’t have to say yes, obviously, but I think your style would really suit this program, and I’d love to-”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Of course I’m going to say yes.”

Alex stares at him. And finally, it’s Henry’s turn to grin.

“I’m gay,” Henry adds. It’s something he’s been saying out loud more and more often, lately, so it doesn’t feel like such an enormous deal admitting it to Alex. Still, most guys don’t look quite as bloody _delighted_ as Alex does, upon hearing the news. Wow. Okay. “And I love Your Song. So much. If they’ll let us skate it, I’m in.”

“Okay. Cool.” Alex seems to have recovered. He looks very pleased. “We’d need to practice it, a few times. Maybe more than a few times. I know a guy who can get us ice time, after your medal ceremony.”

“More than a few times," Henry echoes curiously. This time, he doesn’t bother reminding Alex about his honestly slim chances of earning a medal. There are more pressing matters at hand. “Alex. Is there any chance I could take you out to dinner, after?”

The smile Alex offers him is everything.

“Maybe,” he returns coyly. “You’re just going to have to make the top three, now, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” Henry agrees breathlessly. Alex's gaze has quickly turned _very_ intense, a sharp contrast to his teasingly casual tone. Henry finds it absolutely irresistible. If they were somewhere a little more private, he'd be more than willing to lose himself in those eyes. “I will."

Tomorrow, he’s going to skate out on that ice, nail every bit of his program, get a new personal best and a place on that podium _and_ a date. When Alex looks at Henry like that, it all suddenly feels completely possible.

The next day? Henry skates with his whole heart and soul, leaving everything on the ice.

He gets silver.

The video of the two of them performing Your Song goes shockingly viral.

**Author's Note:**

> Alex, a dumbass: hey remember that super graceful British singles skater, Fox, he's back this season with a program that's actually fun? and sexy?? god his step sequence is killer and did you see that landing on the lutz, fucking _outstanding,_ what do you mean I'm making heart eyes at the score sheet I'm just admiring a fellow athlete, no Nora I'm not getting hot under the collar just from the words _second-half multiplier,_ I'm not obsessed, you're imagining things, hey do you think he'd skate with me at the gala if I asked real nicely-
> 
> idiots to lovers, anyone?
> 
> I love one Alex Claremont-Diaz and one Henry Fox with all of my heart.


End file.
